Appreciation of Calligraphy Art "Preface to Wang Xizhi's Lanting Collection"

Wang Xizhi (32 1-379, or 303-36 1), whose real name was Shao Yi, was born in Linyi (now Shandong), and later moved to Yin Shan (now Shaoxing, Zhejiang), where he became the general of the right army and was called "Wang Youjun". During his tenure, he often liked to write books and raise geese. In his later years, he resigned and retired. He died at the age of 59 and was buried in Waterfall Mountain, Jinting Town, Shengzhou City. Seven sons of Xihe have titles. The youngest son gave a true biography. His calligraphy is no less than Weng's, and he is called "Xiao Wang" in the world. He was the most outstanding calligrapher in the Eastern Jin Dynasty and was respected as a calligrapher by later generations. At the age of seven, he began to study books, and studied under Mrs. Wei and Uncle Wang, who came from a calligraphy family. He learns from Zhong You, so he can change. Zhong Shu is still turning over, and the real book is also divided. The pen is still expanding and there is a tendency for birds to soar. The so-called "Zhong Jia falcon tail wave". Wang Xizhi likes to chase it by hand, but it is easy to turn it into a song, subtract the potential, reach inside with a pen, and turn it over without folding. The so-called right army "straight down" Wang Xizhi copied Shu Wei until he was twelve years old. Because I often listen to the teacher's stories about the diligent study and hard practice of calligraphers in past dynasties, I have an admiration for the calligraphy of Zhang Zhi, a "grass saint" in the Eastern Han Dynasty, and I am determined to take an examination of Zhang Zhi. Wang Xizhi's personality is honest and frank, and his creation is rich. Later, he visited the exquisite works of the masters of seal script in Qin and Han dynasties, studied the style, imitated the hand, learned from others' strengths, and merged them into one furnace, creating a running script that was "natural and rich" and was praised as "the sage of books" by later generations.

Works spread: Wang Xizhi cherishes the Preface to Lanting very much, and future generations also cherish it. It was passed on to the seventh generation of Wang Xizhi, Sun Zhiyong, and kept by his disciples. Preface to the Lanting Pavilion has been treasured by the people for 270 years after Wang Xizhi's death. Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong, admired Wang Xizhi's calligraphy. He personally wrote Wang Xizhi's Biography for the Book of Jin and collected it. Give advice to Xiao Yi in various ways and make money from eloquence. After obtaining the original Preface to the Lanting Pavilion, Emperor Taizong ordered Tang Puche, Feng Chengsu, Zhao Mo and Zhu Gejin to copy several copies in the tenth year of Zhenguan (A.D. 636) and gave them to the near ministers. Experts believe that Feng Chengsu's manuscripts that have been handed down to this day are the closest to Wang Xizhi's original works. He said, "Sit by the seat and watch it every morning and evening." "Look closely at the past and present, study the essence of seal script and make it perfect, but Wang Yi is the least ... you are tired of playing, and you don't know its ending when you watch it." After the death of Emperor Taizong, he brought the original as a funerary object to Zhaoling. When he was in Wuhou, Hua Huan dug his hair and the original one came back. It is included in the inner mansion of Xuanzong, and the carved stone is placed in the bachelor's college, named "Preface to Ding Wulan". He died after Song Jin. But this book is different from the ink book handed down today, and it is difficult to determine what it looks like. So now we can't see the original work of Preface to the Lanting Pavilion, but only the first-class edition of the Tang Dynasty. Since then, the manuscripts of Preface to Lanting have emerged one after another. In the Yuan Dynasty, Zhao Mengfu and Yu He copied the Preface to the Lanting Pavilion, and there were many kinds of Zhao Mengfu handed down from generation to generation. Dong Qichang, Fu Shan and Wang Duo in the Ming Dynasty. Everyone likes the Preface to the Lanting Pavilion. There are many kinds of books handed down from ancient times, including woodcut, stone carving, copying and temporary engraving. Famous people, such as Ou Yangxun, copied stones, because the beautiful thread in the north has hundreds of words. No words, no threading, elegant intonation, many people didn't notice. Its brushwork, pen and ink, style and charm were all discovered in Dingwu, Hebei Province, and named Dingwu Lanting. Preface to Lanting Palace in Luoyang was presented to Gao Shilian by Emperor Taizong, and it was circulated as Nineteen Copies of Chu Suiliang. Chu Suiliang also circulated a book, Preface to the Dragon Half Seal Lanting, Preface to the Nu Lanting in Zhang Jinjie and Hook and Sink of Hong Wen Pavilion, which was specially developed by calligraphers in the Tang Dynasty and called Long Lanting. It is also called "Dragon Book" because Tang Zhongzong Li Xian's title "Dragon" is printed in the front and back of the post. The ink color of this book is the most vivid, vivid on paper, fine imitation and smooth rhyme, which can all be reflected, and you can basically get a glimpse of Xi's original style. It is recognized as the best copy and regarded as a treasure. In addition, there are Xue Ji Ben, Ben for Pan Guifei, Ben for Ying Shang, Ben for Falling into the Water, etc. Emperor Qianlong collected eight volumes of Preface to the Orchid Pavilion copied or written by Yu Shinan in Tang Dynasty, Chu Suiliang, Feng Chengsu, Liu Gongquan and Dong Qichang in Ming Dynasty as palace treasures. Later scholars copied and copied constantly, and hundreds of different versions of Preface to Lanting were derived, which became a unique landscape in the history of calligraphy in China. This phenomenon is unique in ancient and modern times, at home and abroad. This is caused by the charm of Preface to Lanting, and it is also inseparable from the strong admiration of emperors in previous dynasties.

Analyze the composition and structure of the work with a pen: Preface to Lanting is not only a well-known and beautiful prose, but also a vigorous and elegant calligraphy, which breaks the routine, forms its own system and does not fall into the same pattern. Later generations commented that "the font of the right army has changed. Its majestic spirit is natural, beautiful and elegant, and its scenery is lyrical and refreshing. Therefore, ancient and modern people think that "learning from the law" is known as "the best running script in the world". For thousands of years, it has become a classic model for calligraphers to copy their hearts and pursue their hands. Compared with other calligraphy works in Han and Western Jin Dynasties, the calligraphy style of Preface to Lanting is characterized by exquisite brushwork and changeable structure. Wang Qianmo is like Lu Ji's Ping Fu Tie and Wu's Ji Zhang. It is lovely, peaceful, elegant, quite restrained, but not elegant. There are many works in the existing Han bamboo slips with ups and downs and rich brushwork changes, but the structure is relatively floating and lacks interest. Wang Xizhi's contribution is that he led the natural style of calligraphy to a more concise but colorful pattern, thus establishing the artistic tone of calligraphy that emphasizes aesthetic initiative in this era. Before him, people didn't pay enough attention to it.